MANILA -- The wait is finally over!

Kapamilya love team Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano are set to star in their first primetime series "Can't Buy Me Love," with Mae Alviar Cruz as the director.

On Tuesday, "DonBelle" along with Alviar Cruz officially announced their upcoming TV project under Star Creatives.

"You know ever since, this has always been a dream of mine. Growing up I used to watch primetime seryes nga and to be able to do one, oh my gosh with Direk Mae and him (Donny), grabe! I am so excited. I cannot wait," Mariano said.

"I think it's something we both have really prayed about, dreamed about and we can't imagine na ito na 'yon, we are really starting of course alongside an amazing director and person Direk Mae. And the whole cast, the whole crew, they started to tell us about like who is part of it already. It's our first time working with Star Creatives as well... We are very excited. We just can't wait. This is really a dream come true," Pangilinan added.

In the event, Mariano and Pangilinan also shared a bit about their respective characters.

"My character is a Chinese. She was born in a very rich and traditional family. So 'yun lang po ang pwede kong sabihin. And my character name is Caroline. So that's all I can say for now," Mariano said.

"Si Bingo ang pangalan ng ipo-portray ko. He is from a very poor family and he is very hardworking and his dream is just to provide for his family, be there for them," Pangilinan said.

The first poster of "Can't Buy Me Love" was also unveiled at the event.

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First poster of "Can't Buy Me Love," the upcoming series of Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano.

New Gen Phenomenal Love Team

The upcoming series also marks the first time that the love team will work with Alviar.

For her part, Alviar said she is really happy to be working with the two.

"One of my routines when I am doing a project is to meet with the actors because I want to get to know them before we start the project. So, siyempre ako I've heard a lot about them. I mean I know Belle from 'Four Sisters (Before the Wedding)' and even before 'Four Sisters' I know of her na. But them as a love team that's different. And I can say na yes they're different," Alviar said.

"I've handled different love teams.. so sila I can see the difference, why they are tagged as phenomenal and I see why they are the new gen love team. Kasi iba sila. I am not saying that one is better than the other, like the other love teams because they are unique in their own ways. And, sila mayroon din silang distinct flavor and distinct personality. Iba 'yung mindset nila, iba 'yung how they view love teams. Iba rin 'yung they have their plans and how they see their future. So, I see why they are the new gen; very new gen and kanilang mindset," Alviar added.

Alviar also praised the two for being hardworking.

"Na-impress din ako sa kanila kasi talagang they want this. Hindi sila 'yung okay nagkataon sumikat sila, nagkataon hit 'yung projects nila and then nandoon na ang yabang na, no. Sobra silang ano pa rin, they want to make this work. They want to make this work even more," Alviar added.

"Nabilib ako like si Donny, you would think that he is a nepo baby. You would think na parang mga ganun ang mga sinasabi but no. Nagulat ako na he really, really wants this. I never knew this about him. I never knew that he really went through workshops on his own to prove to his family that he really wants this. Hindi siya 'yung type na ibinigay na lang sa kanya because just because of his background but he work hard for this. Si Belle, she's been around for a long time so she knows what hard work is. Ito napaka-hardwoking na couple nila, na love team nila. And, together I know that they will go very, very far. You think that now malayo na ang narating nila, they will go even further because of the way they work together and the way they, parang 'yung attitude nila and their values about work," Alviar said.

For DonBelle, they are just excited to work with Alviar.

"Siyempre nakakatuwa coming from Direk Mae. It's always a pleasure working with Direk Mae. I see her as my mother on set talaga and I became so comfortable talaga with Direk Mae. And, I really can't wait to start shooting with you," Mariano said.

"Well this is my first time working with Direk Mae. I can say that it just feels different. Kasi you know that feeling when parang may connection ka na very genuine with a person you just met and I really felt that with Direk. I really felt that she's also very much willing to go through this whole journey with us. From the very start you can really feel that sincerity as well. She would ask us like how we work on set, how we can all work together, 'yung mga habits namin, 'yung mga not so very good, very good, 'yung mga ganun -- the whole spectrum. And I really appreciate that because sobrang importante 'yon para sa aming dalawa especially working on our first ever teleserye together," Pangilinan shared.

"There are so many questions that we have. And we haven't gone through a lot of these experiences and for her to say na 'I will guide you, ganito ako, ako ang bahala.' 'Yung mga ganung words of wisdom, it really means a lot Direk. I am very, very excited to work with you. And let's just this make a fun experience. What I think the supporters also deserve is a quality show and something they've been waiting for a long time, something that is different and yeah I can't wait to go on this journey with Direk as well," Pangilinan added.

According to Alviar, they will start shooting the series this month.

The love team partners also revealed that "Can't Buy Me Love" will air later this year.

"Finally the wait is over. I can't wait, we can't wait to finally, to be able to shoot this teleserye. And I just want to thank you guys so much for all your support, sa suporta at pagmamahal na ibinigay niyo sa amin during this waiting but now we are finally here. So thank you so much," Mariano said when asked for her message to their fans.

"Yes, we know you guys are waiting for so long, you've been asking us. Sending us message, tweeting us and stuff like that of when this show will finally begin. So ito na guys, ito na 'yon. Actually first time rin namin na makita itong poster. So this really feels like it's really happening and we're really going to start shooting this month as Direk said. 'Yan guys I think from the poster itself you could see how different Belle and I, our characters will be from the previous projects we portrayed which I am sure you guys are very much aware of. To those also who haven't seen our previous projects this one right here, we're inviting you to please catch 'Can't Buy Me Love.' We don't know yet the exact date when it's showing but it's gonna be showing this year and we can just tell you that this is coming from the heart and the whole Star Creatives team they are really putting everything they have to give you guys the best possible outcome. So we love you and we can't wait for you to see this," Pangilinan added.

• Donny Pangilinan, Belle Mariano meet with director Mae Cruz Alviar for upcoming series

Mariano and Pangilinan were first announced as the lead stars of “Can’t Buy Me Love" last December as seen in an omnibus trailer of ABS-CBN’s 2023 titles.

• LOOK: Belle Mariano, Donny Pangilinan all set for teleserye debut
• Belle Mariano, Donny Pangilinan to star in first teleserye together

“Can’t Buy Me Love” marks the latest career milestone of Mariano and Pangilinan as a “love team,” on the heels of ushering in Star Cinema’s return to theaters with the romantic-comedy film “An Inconvenient Love” in late 2022.

The two earned their “phenomenal” moniker in 2021, their breakout year as a record-breaking pair with the iWantTFC series “He’s Into Her” and the digital release of their launching movie “Love Is Color Blind.”

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